Dot is still not fully recovered, but on Tuesday she decided she was well enough to go to the funeral of Barbara O’Brien at Earlham Crematorium. It was cold but sunny, and at the crematorium we joined up with Peter, Denise and Keith Wright, plus Bernard and Mary Pitt and Madeleine Jary and Christine ?, who knew me but who I struggled to remember.
Bart wrote an excellent appreciation of his mum, read by the vicar, who led a short but very good service. It’s not till you come to sing Abide with Me in such a context that you realise how good the words are.
Afterwards we intended to go home, but Dot felt well enough to proceed to the Fat Cat in West End Street for the wake – especially as our friends were also going. We parked in the community health car park as the building appeared to be shut. The Fat Cat is ein gemuetliches Haus, and we enjoyed talking and eating what turned out to be a sumptuous feast, including an unexpected but delicious fried egg sandwich. We stayed till the end.
In the evening we were picked up at home by Judy and taken to the Greens’ Julian evening, where more delicious food was served – only bites, but lovely all the same. A good conversation too, about Mary and her significance for Julian and for Christians generally.
The next day was very medical. I had a blood test late in the morning, and this was followed closely (after a brief lunch) by taking Phil up to the hospital for a pre-op session. After this I took him home and then took Dot back to the same hospital for her biannual check on her colon. While she was in there I delivered some post to Ollie Bliss, the St Augustine’s treasurer, and then had a short walk in the woods off Colney Lane before Dot rang to say she was ready – surprisingly early. As a result we were able to go and pick up my medication from the chemist and then go to Morrisons for food and petrol.
Maryta and Paul called round late the next day for coffee (after a phone call), and after they went we had supper and watched a film called The Pledge, which the Coomes had given us for Christmas. Very good film – from a story by Friedrich Durrenmatt – but not exactly uplifting.
Today we woke to find the predicted snow. Just after I got out of the bath I got a call from the hospital to say I could pick up Phil, who had had his operation (more of an injection, really). Despite the bad road conditions in the snow and slush I got there on time (11.10) but was asked to wait for half an hour because the surgeon wanted to talk to me. Bit worrying, but in fact it turned out he wanted to talk to Phil.
Phil seemed Ok when he emerged, but he immediately noticed a crack in my windscreen, which was a bit mysterious, because I hadn’t noticed it before or heard anything. After I delivered him home and had lunch I rang the windscreen company, and they should be fixing it tomorrow. Just before evening, Roger came round on his way to meet Debbie at the Nelson and left us free tickets to a V&A exhibition.